Danse Macabre
by F. Schwarze
Summary: After having a bad dream about Marco, Star begins to see hallucinations of Toffee and have recurring nightmares. When Star encounters a strange demon, she begins to realize what her bad dreams meant. Things get more complicated for her when she learns the bigger picture pf her situation and grim truth about the demon's intentions and Marco's secret.
1. Prologue: Nightmare

_I can see…..Marco in a distance…_

The sky was dyed red and the clouds were dark as….darkness. Everything was so quiet, making it very eerie and creepy at the same time. Star felt her heart raced and her feet were shaking with fear. She doesn't know why she felt this way, but there's no time to think about that.

"Marco?"

Among all the destroyed and dark scenery, Star smiled upon spotting a familiar person in a distance. As she ran towards him…she suddenly stopped midway after realizing something was not right.

"Star.…? Star…s….tar….."

Marco, who was dressed in dark clothing while wearing a traditional skull mask, turned around and noticed the young Butterfly a few meters from him. His eyes were dark and red…..as though it was not him. With his deep and echoing voice, he slowly dragged his feet.

"M-Marco? W-what happened to you…..?"

Star was beginning to get frightened at the unresponsive Marco. As he drew closer, Star backs away in fear…confused and terrified at the same time.

"Star…..this is…..all your fault!"

"W-what did I do…..to you?"

With his bloodied hands, Marco grabbed the terrified Star and refused to let her go despite her persistent struggling.

"Marco, let go!"

"Why couldn't you let me go, Star! Why couldn't you let me go?!"

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

Tears slowly formed at the edge of her eyes as her mind was overwhelmed with fear. Marco then pinned her on the ground and continued to speak cryptic words as his demonic eyes stared at her terrified eyes.

"You did this to me, Star!"

"I didn't do anything to you!" Star begun to cry

"You should have let me go, Star! You shouldn't have brought me back!"

Star screamed and closed her eyes. The moment she opened them again, Marco was shaking her worriedly.

"Star!"

"M-Marco?"

Confused, Star looked around and realized she was in her room while lying in her own bed. Seeing Star okay, Marco let go of her shoulders and sighed in relief.

"You had me worried. That must be one bad nightmare"

"Nightmare? Y-yeah! It's just a bad dream"

She nervously laughed at the sudden thought of Marco blaming her for something she doesn't know.

"If you don't hurry, we'll be late for school"

After that, Marco head back downstairs to eat breakfast while Star tried to process what was that bad dream.

"It's just a bad dream, Star. Don't let it get to you"

She furrowed her eyebrows as she reassured to herself that what she saw was nothing but a figment of her thoughts. But then…..

"Or is it?"

Thinking she saw and heard Toffee whisper those words to her, Star screamed as she turned around and prepared a defensive stance.

"J-Just my imagination"

She nervously laughed after seeing Toffee's hallucination almost gave her a heart attack. While Star prepared for the day and head downstairs to join the Diaz family for breakfast, a figure watched her exit her room…..

"I wonder if you will make the same _choice_ again, little Butterfly?"

It was like a shadowy raven with bright red eyes that spoke in a sinister and villain like manner. After watching Marco and Star leave the house, it flew away leaving a grim and sinister laugh…..

* * *

 **Note** : Okay...first SVTFOE FanFic. This has been a draft for quite some time so I decided to publish this anyway, so I can improve my writing skill better. Anyway, this is just the prologue so this is short. Next chapter will be longer, but no sudden action yet...


	2. Beginning

A raven pecking on the remnants of what once a tragedy. There were lying bodies everywhere…..though the 'bodies' were made of rocks. It seemed like real people, but the detail of the figures made it so.

"Hmm…..it's already starting….."

Throughout the barren and dull land, the monster bird's sinister and gentleman like voice echoed. Rhythmically walking towards the shadowy bird with glowing red eyes was a monster wearing a suit.

"And people say I have a dark humor"

Toffee, the immortal monster looked around with an unhappy expression. He glared at the raven with a complex expression.

"How long are you planning to play this game?"

"It depends….."

"Of course….well, I can't complain that much. I'm just a manifestation of your memory"

The lizard monster raised his hand as he watched it faded for a brief moment before retaining its clarity.

"The festival is almost near…..and the cycle will repeat"

"Once again" Toffee continued

There was a faint smile on Toffee's lips before he walked away with his arms on his back.

 **Meanwhile…**

While at home, Marco was doing his homework…..but he couldn't concentrate with Star intensely staring at him.

"Star….."

"Yeeaaaahhhh?"

"Quit it" Marco put down his pen

".….."

Star silently backed away and slowly closed the door as she left. Shaking his head, Marco went back to finishing his homework. Star returned to her room and lied back to her bed.

"Nope….nothing weird….."

With a heavy sigh, Star to closed her eyes and fell into a peaceful sleep. It was a strange scent that awoken her….

"Hello, young Butterfly"

A talking Raven greeted her in her dream. Just like before, Star was surrounded by barren land while the sky was painted red. Star was a little relieved that Marco wasn't in her dream because she became terrified at what she saw the last time.

"Oh hello, creepy talking bird"

Since it was a dream, Star was not surprised to see a talking raven with glowing red eyes.

"Hmm…..still unaware or rather…you're repressing it"

"What am I pressing?"

"Deny as you want young Butterfly, your cannot escape your mistake forever"

With a sinister laugh, the bird flapped its wings and flew away leaving a fading caw of a raven.

 **Somewhere…..**

Unknown to others, Ludo's castle was mysteriously rebuild and stood solidly. Inside, Toffee walked around the main hall and looked at the abstract paintings hanging on the wall.

"I'm not complaining, but is the visit with the girl's dream necessary?"

"Hmm...it is."

A shadowy crow with glowing red eyes stood on the long rectangular table as it stared at Toffee.

"And people say I'm enigmatic" Toffee faintly smiled

"The deal is absolute and the fate...is inevitable..."

"Not to mention, doomed to repeat"

Toffee made his way to a chair and tilted his head while he focused his attention at the bird with a deep and echoing voice.

"How were you able to achieve it anyway?" Toffee curiously asked

"..."

All Toffee heard was multiple voiced whispered to his thoughts. It looked like Toffee was surprised at first, but regained his composure not long.

"All that's lacking is a pawn" The raven spoke

"Don't worry, I'll take care of this little setback"

With a smirk, Toffee rubbed his chin as he stood up and turned away to leave.

 **Later that night…..**

Marco prepared himself to go to bed and as he tucked himself in bed and closed his eyes, Star's screaming woke him up.

"Star!"

He rushed to her room and found her yelling in her sleep…..again. Worried, Marco shook her and woke up.

"Marco" Star sighed in relief

"Star, what's with you? This has been the third time"

"It's a just bad dream. Nothing to worry about"

Star laughed it off and reassured Marco that everything was okay. Marco knew that was not true so he furrowed his eyebrow and crossed his arms.

"Maybe I have a problem"

".….."

"Hey Marco"

"Yeah?"

"Can you stay…..just until I fall asleep"

Marco was about to protest, but Star stared at him with puppy like begging eyes. Unable to say no, Marco sighed as he grabbed a chair and sat beside Star's bed.

"Thanks Marco"

Happy, Star immediately lied back on the bed and closed her eyes until she had fallen asleep.

".…"

Marco then felt sleepy all of a sudden and unable to resist it, he fell asleep as well…..

"Where am I? Huh….I must be dreaming. It's the most logical explanation"

When he opened his eyes, Marco woke up surrounded by rocky terrain and and dreadful atmosphere. In a distance, Marco spotted Star sobbing as she knelt on the ground.

"S-star? Why are you crying?"

Marco cautiously approach Star, worried but wary at the same time. Hearing his voice, an injured Star looked at him and grabbed both of his shoulders.

"Marco, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry"

There tears rolling down her cheeks as she repeatedly apologized to Marco.

"Star, what are you talking about?"

"I have no choice, Marco"

It looked like Star can't hear him as she continued mumble words he doesn't understand.

"I-It wasn't supposed to happen!"

Noticing a lying figure behind Star, Marco turned his attention to that and as he widened his eyes when he caught a glimpse on the figure, he returned back to the waking world.

"Uah!"

Marco fell down to the chair he was sitting. Not long and Star woke up as well just when he realized it was already morning.

"Good morning, Marco"

Star looked like she slept well while Marco was not on the other hand.

"Rise and shine, Marco. We don't want to be late for school"

Groaning and a little sleepy, Star dragged Marco's feet downstairs. While on school, Marco took the chance to ask something to Star while on their break.

"You alright, Star?"

Marco seemed to have noticed that Star looked a little distracted and worried since the other day.

"Yeah. Sure. Why'd you ask?"

As Star smiled and looked at Marco, Star widened her eyes when she saw what appeared to be Toffee standing at the corner of the cafeteria.

"Mutant lizard!" Star yelled and point

"Where?!"

Marco stood up and defensively looked around, but turned his attention back to Star with a confused expression.

"He's right over there! Lizard lawyer guy!"

"Star, there's no one there"

While 'Toffee' smiled at Star, Marco doesn't see any lizard wearing a suit. All he saw were Echo creek students.

"It seems someone is going a little paranoid"

Star let out a shriek when she heard Toffee's voice teasing her from behind. The young Butterfly's thoughts were in chaos so she ended up running in panic.

"Star!"

Unfortunately for Marco, Star continued to run unable to hear Marco calling her out repeatedly.

"What's gotten to her?"

Janna walked by when she saw Star running for no apparent reason.

"I wish I knew"

"Weird..."

"I'm going after her" Marco sighed

Star ran and ran until she reached a spot in the school where no one else was present. As she was cornered, 'Toffee" slowly clapped his hands while Star pointed her wand against him.

"Must be difficult to be see things no one else can"

"I'm not crazy"

While she stood in her ground, Marco was running around the hallway and spotted Star charging her wand against...no one. He was confused to see Star rumbling as though she was talking to someone.

"Star..."

Star looked a litle paranoid and stressed so Marco approached her carefully. Seeing Marco with a worried expression, Star mildly calmed down.

"It's okay, Star, there's no one here" Marco softly talked to her

"But but, he's right over...there?"

When Star pointed in a direction, "Toffee" was no longer present so she was greatly confused and dumbfounded at the situation.

"I think you need to relax. You look awfully stressed"

Marco got worried at Star's sudden actions so he suggested she needed to relax as she looked like deprived of sleep.

 **Later...**

Worried, Marco checked everything in Star's room to make her feel more secure and so she could finally have a decent sleep.

"I checked everywhere. No lizard in a suit in sight"

"Thanks Marco"

"And to make sure, I'll be guarding you in case you have another nightmare"

Marco grabbed a chair and sat near Star as he held a cup of coffee in hand. Relieved that Marco was by her side, Star peacefully closed her eyes and went to sleep.

"Well...time for me to sleep...too..."

It may seem uncomfortable to sleep while sitting, Marco didn't mind as long as Star can get a decent sleep. Some time has passed, Marco woke up at the sound of rumbling somewhere in Star's room. Annoyed, he grabbed a flashlight while yawning. Thinking it might be just a laser puppy, Marco tried to shoo away the small figure messing up Star's things.

"W-wah!"

When he pointed the flashlight at the figure, he was shocked to see Ludo hiding in Star's clutter shaking and looking terrified.

"You have to help me!"

Ludo suddenly leaped at Marco's face and repeatedly shook him as he desperately pleaded to Marco.

"Get off!"

Marco pushed off Ludo from his face and kicked him in a corner.

"You have to help me!"

He pleaded again as he jumped off at the back of Marco's head and pulled his hair causing Marco to scream. Marco randomly ran back and forth in order to pull off Ludo.

"Marco!"

Star woke up at Marco's yelling and the sound of her stuff falling from one place to another. Grabbing her wand, Star rushed to Marco's side and widened her eyes when she saw Ludo attached to a struggling Marco.

"Get off him!" Star prepared to fire a blast

"Don't shoot, don't shoot!"

Star almost blasted Marco if he hadn't warned her beforehand. Manually, Star used both of his hands to forcefully pull Ludo off Marco's head.

"He's after me!"

After Star threw him in a corner, Ludo desperately and fearfully pleaded again at the two confused teenagers.

"What are you talking about?" Star prepared to blast Ludo

"He wants to get me!"

"Who's _HE_?"

Before Ludo can respond a dark portal opened up and shadowy appendages grabbed his body, but Ludo resisted. As Ludo dug his fingers on the wooden floor, he looked at the two.

"The devil..."

After he softly spoke those words, Ludo was completely pulled in and the portal disappeared in an instant.

"I-I...I'm gonna process all of this..." Marco looked a little traumatized

"Yeah...sure...

A little shocked, Star walked away not sure how to react at the unexpected scene that had just unfold. While Star and Marco head back to sleep, Ludo on the other hand...

"Former comrades...zombie like dragging Ludo. Another suspicious activity" Buff frog wrote in his notebook

Buff frog had just popped out of the ground and looked around. After a few minutes of drawing the castle the what once blown up by Star, but was somehow rebuild...he saw Ludo being dragged by his former minions with glowing green eyes and groans like a zombie.

"Something is not right. Must find out more of suspicious activity" He wrote in his notebook again while talking out loud

Ludo, shaking, was forcefully dragged by his former minions that seemed to be in a trance and zombified state of mind inside the castle. In the main room, Ludo saw how his pets were caged in a magical prison.

"There's the little pest"

Toffee reached out his palm and coldly referred to Ludo as a little pest. Surrounded by his hypnotized minions, Ludo stood on his ground and frowned at the shadowy demon dog.

"Here"

Ludo tossed the other half of the magic royal wand to Ludo who immediately pointed it against the demon.

"Hah!"

As he fired a blast, the magical energy backfired and caused him to be blasted instead. Confused and furious, Ludo beat up his own wand.

"..."

The demonic dog looked at Toffee and softly growled at him. Strangely, Toffee smiled and shrugged his shoulders as he raised his hands up.

"Face it, you can't to a being that doesn't exist...yet exist..."

"What do you want?"

There was hostility in Ludo's voice as he stood up and tried to intimidate Toffee...which failed.

"Hmm? I see...if that's what you want"

Toffee looked at the silent shadowy dog and "spoke" to him with multiple voices and demonic whispers.

"Throw him in the dungeon along with those things...for the time being"

Through the window, Buff frog used his binoculars to observe Toffee and talking to an unknown shadowy dog.

"Note: Lizard suit guy not dead. Also, black dog looked very dangerous. Must observe more"

Not wanting to be spotted, Buff frog back flipped away and escaped the scene. Unknown to Buff frog, Toffee looked out the window and watched Buff frog back flipped away.

"What do you want me to do with...that?" Toffee pointed at Buff frog

"Let the unexpected interference be. This will come in handy in the near future"

The demonic dog changed its form to a raven and flew passed by s tapestry. Toffee then walked towards the tapestry and sinisterly smirked.

* * *

 **Chapter 03:**

"Marco, he's right over there!"

"There's no one there, Star!"

"Why can't you see it? Why only I can see him?!"

"Because I'm not real..."

Star's hallucinations continued and started to get worse. Marco worries about Star's situation and her constant insistence that Toffee is always there, but he gets a visit from the red eyed devil...


	3. Just your imagination

_It just continues..._

It's been a week since Star Butterfly begun seeing 'hallucinations' of Toffee and the shadowy monster. Marco worries about Star's paranoid behavior. She's acting stranger than the usual kind of strange he is used to.

"Star, what's up with you. You're acting like bananas for the past few days"

"It's Toffee! I keep seeing him everywhere I go"

"Didn't that freaky lizard melted like gross cheese?"

Marco shuddered seeing Toffee's last moments and it made him really uncomfortable.

"I know. But he's there w-with eyes, feet, and among other things!"

The image of the immortal monster's sly smirk flashed through her mind. She can see how Marco is so confused right now.

"Maybe you need to see a doctor"

"Uuuurrgh! You don't understand, Marco!"

Furious, Star stormed out of her own room and went downstairs to get something to drink. Star grabbed a juice box from the fridge and drank a glass and when she passed by the living room...

"You...!"

She immediately walked back and clearly spotted the enigmatic monster sitting on the couch.

"Must be hard to be the only to see me, hmm..."

"You're not real!"

"I'm as real as I can be little Butterfly"

He waved her hand and laughed, making Star furious as if he's provoking her.

"Why can't everyone see you?"

"I don't know. Do I look like I know everything?"

Her patience growing thin, Star raised her wand and charged up magical energy.

"You're angry. That's cute"

"Leave me alone, you hallucination!"

Marco just went down the stairs since she heard Star yelling angrily. Seconds after that, Star released a blast that bounced all over the living room, almost hitting them both.

"Woah! Star!" He ducked

"Marco! Oh my gosh! I-I...it's just that..." He ran to him

"Star, who are you yelling at?"

He scratched his head, confused at what's happening.

"It's Toffee!"

"See! He's right over there!"

Star pulled Marco and pointed at the part of the living room where Toffee is supposedly sitting at. For Star, Toffee is just calmly sitting there, waving his fingers. For Marco, he's looking at an empty living room.

"There's...no one there..."

"He's right over there!"

She angrily marched at pointed to where Toffee is sitting, but Marco is still dumbfounded.

"Alright, Star, stop fooling around. I have no time for this"

"What?! Marco!"

Thinking Star is just messing with him again, Marco walked away, a bit annoyed. Star felt even more frustrated seeing how Marco can't see Toffee while she can.

"Why can't anyone see you?! Not even Marco!" She demanded to know

"I don't know. Maybe you're just crazy"

He spun in his index finger as he dusted off his black suit.

"Just what do you want from me?"

"Nothing. But a certain being does...to your dearest human friend that is"

"Marco? What do you want from Marco?"

"Something interesting"

Sensing danger, Star readies her wand again, but Toffee couldn't care less even after noticing her increasing hostility.

"It's annoying you can't remember. Well I can't blame you after the reset to where you first made the mistake"

"What are you talking about"

"..." Toffee massaged his head

"Hey! I said...what are you talking about?"

"I can't believe you're her descendant" He murmured to himself

Toffee walked back to the sofa and sat there with his legs crossed like a gentleman.

"You're already seeing the clues in your sleep"

"My sleep?"

"The horrible nightmare that keeps you awake at night"

"...?!"

"We'll talk again...on the right time"

Before the young Butterfly could further ask more, the latter disappeared in a near instant, confusing and worrying Star.

 **Bedroom...**

Still bothered by what happened earlier, Star rolled around on her and on her room, moaning and groaning incoherent words. Glossaryck, hovering in the air, followed Star's movements with a neutral expression.

"Alright, Star, sweetie...what's up with the aaaahh stuff?"

The blue creature whirled around in the air, somewhat curious to Star's dilemma.

"It's Toffee. He's haunting me"

"Toffee? Thought he turned into a pile of cheese made of tar before being thrown into the trash"

He made body movements that made no sense with what he's saying. Star thought it's unamusing since she is still frustrated.

"He keep saying these things. When I asked him what he wants he said something about Marco"

"What does he wants with karate boy?"

"I don't know! He just magically disappeared"

She angrily waved her arms in the air, letting out the frustration building up inside her.

"In that case, come back to me when you know the answer"

Without saying anything else, Glossaryck dived into the book and closed it tightly.

"Glossaryck!"

No matter how many times Star knocks, he wouldn't respond and she couldn't open the book even with all her might.

"Uuuugghhhh! Why am I the only that can see him?"

In a bad mood, Star rolled around her bed, still frustrated at what happened earlier this morning.

Later that night...

Twisting left and right, Marco, currently in a middle of a bad dream begun affecting his surroundings.

"Where...am I...?"

He found himself in the middle of the town...but everything is destroyed and his surroundings turned dark and crimson.

"Hello? Anybody here?"

No one responded. His voice echoed everywhere in the never ending silence. He kept walking and walking only to find himself increasingly lost.

"Where am I?"

It felt like he just keeps walking around a loop of a endless maze in the town.

"Star?"

In a distance, he sights Star kneeling on the ground, sobbing. At first he is glad to see her, but his smile faded away when he saw her wand on the ground...damaged to the point it's going to break.

"I never wanted it to end like this"

"Star...is that you - oof!"

He phased right through her, when he attempted to touch Star's shoulders. Marco called to her, but she isn't responding. It's as if she can't see nor hear Marco.

"I was desperate. I'm so sorry...I'm so sorry..."

"Star, why are you apologizing"

"This is all my fault..."

Before Marco could utter another word, everything around him changed. The town became even more destroyed. It looked like everything is about to fall apart.

"Star? Star? Star?!"

He looked for her everywhere, but there is no sign of the Mewnian princess.

"Tick tock, tick tock. Time is running out"

Behind Marco, a canine like shadowy creature with glowing red eyes, stood there. It's deep and abstract like voice made Marco uncomfortable.

"Hello...Marco"

"A creepy talking dog that knows my name..."

"Are you enjoying this life? Because it wouldn't last long"

Assorted laughter echoed everywhere as it continued to gaze directly at Marco.

"You can't escape the inevitable. A deal...is a deal after all"

"What are you talking about?"

The hound with pointy ears grew in size and changed to a monstrous form and devoured Marco in a single bite.

"Aaaaaaah!"

Marco ended up falling into an eternal darkness. As he stood up, the darkness grabbed his wrist and begun pulling him down.

"You are who you are! And no one can change that!"

"What that...aarrrgh!" He couldn't break free

"Your fate has been sealed the moment the deal was made!"

"...!"

"And all of this...because of the desperation of one little...Butterfly!"

Scene Star shaking hands with a shadowy creature flashed in his thoughts.

 _There's still a way..._

 _I'm willing to give up everything..._

 _This isn't what I wanted...!_

 _You did this to me, Star...!_

 _You can't change what has been done!_

 _And the deal...has been made..._

As the darkness consumed him, Marco's senses became numb and he woke up screaming.

"I'm...alive? Hahahahaha! I'm still alive!"

He touched his body and glad that he is still in one piece. Marco went downstairs and found his parents and Star eating breakfast.

"Good morning, Marco"

As usual, Star is very energetic while eating cereal that is popping with colorful mini fireworks.

"Right..."

He sat with them, grabbing a box of cereal and milk and thought about what he dreamed last night.

"Woah. You look like you didn't sleep well"

"Just an ordinary bad dream..."

"You went to school without your pants or something"

"Yeah. Sure. Let's go with that"

Marco decided not that tell Stat about it since he felt it's a bad sign seeing her wand get destroyed and Marco himself crushing the star of her wand...reducing it to dust.

 **Echo Creek Academy...**

Currently on lunch break, Star is enjoying showing off a few tricks she learned the other day to her friends...dropped her spoon when she immediately spotted a shadowy animals.

"Star?" Janna looks confused

"Excuse me for a moment"

Star followed the animal when it walked away in a slow manner, as if to let her catch up.

"Hey, Star...where are...you...going?"

She is too focused with the shadowy creature that she ignored Marco and went after it. Concerned, she ran after the shadowy creature whom she chased to a dead end in a discreet part of the school.

"Alright. I don't know who and what the heck are you...but I know you're bad news!"

Star raised her wand and before she could cast 'Narwhal blast', the creature knocked her away without even moving.

"Magic can't kill someone who is beyond life and death. Not even the queen of darkness succeeded"

"There's a first time for everything!"

Not believing what the creature is saying, Star generated a powerful blast from her wand...but it had no effect on it.

"You can't reduce me into nothing! I am already nothing!"

The creature slammed Star to a wall and as she got up, the creature disappeared without a trace.

"That must have hurt..."

Behind her, Toffee appeared and looked down at her as if belittling her.

"You again! Why can't you just leave me alone!"

"Because it's not over yet"

"What are you talking about?"

"The mistake you made...it's bound to repeat. One way...or another"

Annoyed, Star recklessly charged at Toffee, but he easily evaded her and kicked her by a few meters.

"Why don't you just get to the point, Toffee?!"

"Because...where's the fun in that if I reveal your mistake myself"

"Grr...!"

"You have to find for yourseaf. It was your doing after all"

Again, Toffee disappeared without a trace before Star could realize what's going on.

"Star!" Marco tapped her shoulder

"Karate chop!"

She instinctively hand chopped his hand and this greatly confused Marco.

"Alright. What's going on with you? And don't tell me it's Toffee"

"It IS Toffee. He's haunting me, Marco"

"Uh-huh. Right..."

"Why don't you believe me?!"

"Because he's already dead!"

Star is completely upset that Marco doesn't believe a thing she's saying. He refused to believe her that Toffee is haunting her, but for some reason she's the only that can see him.

"No he's not! Argh!"

"I don't know what's going on with you, but this has to stop"

"No, Marco! I am not stopping until I figure out what's going on"

Star angrily walked away and Marco could only massaged his temples, unsure how to deal with Star's current stubbornness and situation.

"What am I going to do with her?"

He knows how she acts, but he never saw her behave like this before and it concerns him as her best friend. Other than that, he also worried about the bad dream he had last night...

 **Meanwhile...**

Sneaking inside the castle as stealthily as possible, Buff frog went past the completely unaware guards and jumped inside the castle.

"Now to dungeon"

He his behind a suit of armor when a monster guard passed by. The bulky frog went past a few hallways until he found a doorway leading underground.

"Bingo"

Before hr could be spotted, he immediately ran downstairs and searched every cell. He followed the moaning sound until he is lead to a corner where he smiled upon seeing Ludo

"Ludo. Ludo. Psst!"

The sulking Ludo turned around and surprised to see an old acquaintance.

"Buff frog? What are you doing here?"

"Buff frog has important business with you"

"What?"

"I have things to ask you"

The sight of the supposedly dead Toffee and a mysterious demonic creature alarmed Buff frog.

"Who is Toffee guy alive and who is evil black demon thing"

"One, Toffee is not even alive and two...that guy is an unimaginable horror"

"What do you know?"

"All I know is that demon is here because little miss princess made a mistake or something"

Buff frog doesn't really understand, but he does know making a deal with a demon is never a wise decision.

"What is this deal you mistake of?"

"How the heck should I know?! That creepy bird-dog is only after one thing and that is Star and her human sidekick"

"Interesting..."

"There's nothing interesting in this! That lunatic is mad to what Star did. He doesn't like being cheated"

"What are you talking about-?!"

Before he could ask more, he is alerted by the footsteps and groans of an oncoming monster guard.

"Buff frog has to go" He brought out his scissors

"Wait, what about me?"

"Buff frog rescue you next time"

"What?!"

Buff frog cut out a dimensional portal and jumped on it, saluting as the portal closes.

"Aaaarrhhh?" The monster guard scratches his head

"..." Ludo brooded on a corner

Seconds later, Toffee walked by and his mere presence terrified Ludo.

"It seems you have quite the loose mouth"

Toffee grabbed Ludo like picking up litter and brought him out of his cell. His grim and unhappy expression tells Ludo he's in a bad mood.

"Now then, Ludo. What did you spill out?"

"N-nothing. I didn't say anything. I swear!"

He waved his hands defensively, shaking in fear...afraid of what horrible torture he is going to be out through again.

"You're not a very good liar. My master...doesn't tolerate liars"

He threw the little monster to the zombified guard and had it carry Ludo all the way to the main part of the castle.

"Should I use the axe or the chainsaw?"

Toffee asked the demonic creature as he held an axe and a chainsaw on each hand.

"Mm-Hmm. I understand. Mental scarring is much better"

"What?!"

As the shadowy creature grabbed Ludo, Toffee just stood there and witnessed the screaming spectacle with a blank expression. After a while, Ludo is tossed near him.

"So much...horror" Ludo sucked on his thumb while on a fetal position

"I suppose this is the right time to make a direct move"

"..."

"Right. Well then...I'll start the preparations"

He snapped his fingers and the monster grabbed a still traumatized Ludo. Before he exits the room, he looked back at the shadowy creature.

"And I can guarantee I can give you the desired results"

With a confident smile and dead serious eyes, he gently bowed before closing the large door.

* * *

 **Chapter 04:**

Things has yet to cool down between Star and Marco as Star herself refuses to believe the Toffee she's seeing isn't real. While the two tries to settle their argument, Toffee makes his move that will make Marco slowly learn what's going and discovers a piece of a grim truth.

"Your mistake that very day is bound to repeat"


End file.
